Another coach added to NC State football staff

Another coach added to NC State football staff

NC State head football coach Dave Doeren has made another addition to his coaching staff, announcing today that Richard McNutt has been named cornerbacks coach. McNutt spent the past two seasons with Doeren at Northern Illinois, where the Huskies won back-to-back MAC championships.

“Richard is one of the most aggressive and talented recruiters I’ve been with,” said Doeren. “He is also a great technician at the corner position. He played it at Ohio State and worked with Mel Tucker, one of the best DB coaches in the NFL. He has great knowledge and is very detailed with how he applies that to his players. He holds them to the highest standard on the field.

“Richard has been at the highest level of collegiate football, playing on a national championship team at Ohio State and also working in the NFL, so he brings a lot of expertise to our players. He relates well to the guys.”

The Northern Illinois secondary showed considerable improvement in its second season under the direction of McNutt. In 2011, Northern Illinois ranked 89th nationally in passing defense, but improved to 41st in 2012, giving up 217.7 yards per game. The Huskies also improved in interceptions, ranking 43rd in 2011, but improving to 23rd this season with 15 on the year.

Prior to his stint at NIU, McNutt spent two seasons as the defensive backs coach at Kent State, where the Golden Flashes boasted the No. 1 total defense in the MAC in 2010 and ranked second in the league in pass efficiency defense. McNutt was also involved with coaching the special teams units at Kent State.

The Park Forest, Ill., native spent the 2008 football season on the staff of the Cleveland Browns, where he coached the safeties, assisted with the defensive backs and served as assistant special teams coach. The Browns ranked second in the NFL in interceptions with 23 that season. In 2007, he served as the secondary coach at the University of Toledo (2007) and spent the previous year as defensive backs coach at Virginia Military Institute (VMI).

McNutt began his coaching career under his collegiate head coach, Jim Tressel, as a student assistant coach at Ohio State in 2003 after completing his playing career for the Buckeyes. During that time, he assisted with the cornerbacks and special teams and was a member of the staff that led OSU to an 11-2 record and a victory in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

“I would like to thank Coach Doeren and Debbie Yow for the opportunity to join the Wolfpack Family,” said McNutt. “I am very excited to continue building on the foundation that has been set and I look forward to mentoring and developing our secondary here at NC State.”

Immediately after earning his undergraduate degree from Ohio State in 2004, McNutt began his coaching career as varsity defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator for the junior varsity team at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa. He helped the Presidents to a 12-1 record and the third round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs in 2004, as Washington & Jefferson ranked second in the nation with 26 interceptions. W&J posted a 9-2 record and advanced to the playoffs in 2005.

As a player, McNutt was on the Buckeye squad that won the 2002 National Championship with a perfect 14-0 record. He was a three-year letterwinner for OSU and played in every game for Ohio State in both the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He started the first six games of 2002 at cornerback before he was sidelined by injury.

McNutt signed with Ohio State after a stellar prep career at Rich East High School in Park Forest, Ill. He was named one of the top five cornerback prospects in the country that year. He and his wife, LaToya, have three children.

“We are happy that Richard and LaToya are going to be a part of the Wolfpack family,” Doeren continued. “We welcome them and their sons Devon and Trey and their daughter Nya to Raleigh.”

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